Device for washing photographic prints



June 18, 1940. R. c. THACKERAY ,0 3

DEVICE FOR WASHING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Filfld Jan. 20, 1938 IN VEN TOR.

P't llThacKEr ay w" A TTORNEYS.

I Patented June 18, 1940 umrso s'r'rss iATENT QFFECE DEVICE FOR WASHING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRIN Claims.

This invention appertains to a novel device for washing photographic prints, and has for one of its primary objects the provision of means whereby the prints can be washed and thoroughly 5 cleaned with the expenditure of a minimum amount of time and labor.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of a novel basin or tank for receiving the prints, with means for delivering a jet of water therein at an angle and under pressure, whereby to cause a constant circulation of water in the tank to wash the prints.

A further object of my invention is to provide novelly arranged baffles in the tank to cause the formation of the desired currents of water in the tank, so that the prints will be carried about in said water and turned to facilitate the thorough washing thereof.

A further important object 01' my invention a is to provide an adjustable fin carried by the main bafile and movable into and out of the current stream set up in the tank, the fin being employed when small prints are being washed, so as to insure the rotation of the prints and to prevent the small prints from being carried into eddies outside the current stream.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for introducing additional washiog water into thetanks of large capacity, so as to insure the proper flow of water through the tank to carry the hypo-solution off the prints.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of my improved print washing device, parts of the view being shown broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the washing device, the view being taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking. in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the inlet nozzle for the water.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the sliding gate or fin carried by the main bafile plate.

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary plan view illustrating the means employed for admitting additional washing water into tanks of large capacity,

parts of the view being shown broken away and in section.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the '5 letter D generally indicates my improved print washing device, which, as illustrated, includes a tank or basin in.

This basin is preferably of a cylindrical form and can be constructed from any suitable material. The basin ill embodies a solid circular bottom wall ll, and an upstanding annular side wall I2. The upper edge of the side wall can be turned over to provide a bead I3 to eliminate the formation of sharp edges, and to add strength and rigidity to the tank.

Extending into the tank through the side Wall E i is a nozzle M, and it is to be noted that the inner end of this nozzle is restricted, so that when water is supplied thereto, a stream of water under considerable pressure will be forced into the tank. The nozzle is arranged at an angle to the side wall and points toward the inner end of an arcuate baffie plate l5, which projects into the tank from the side wall at a point spaced from the nozzle. The inner end of the arcuate bafiie plate I 5 can be secured in any preferred manner to the side wall, and the outer end of the battle plate is held in spaced relation to the side wall by the use of a bracket 16. The nozzle I4 is adapted to be connected to any suitable source of Water supply under pressure, such as a water faucet or the like, and a length of flexible hose can be employed for connecting the nozzle with the faucet. 5

Between the baflle plate l5 and the nozzle M, the side wall of the tank is provided with a relatively large outlet slot I'l, and this slot can be covered by wire mesh screening l8 to prevent prints from entering into the slot. An overflow 40 pipe I9 is carried by the side wall of the tank and communicates with the outlet slot IT, as is clearly shown in Figures 1. and 2 of the drawing. The outlet pipe I9 can be connected to a suitable drain by the use of a flexible hose or the like.

The tanks can be made in different sizes, so as to accommodate different sizes and numbers of prints, as can be readily understood.

In use of the device, water under pressure is allowed to flow through the nozzle l4, and the jet of water flowing into the tank tends to create a current of water in the tank, and this current of water striking the arcuate baffle I5 is whirled around in the tank. Overflow water is taken from the tank through the pipe I 9. After the water has reached a desired level in the tank, the prints to be washed are placed therein, and the swirling water will effectively wash the prints, and the prints will be carried around in the stream of water. The arcuate bafile also tends to turn the prints about in the stream of Water, so that the turning prints traveling in the stream of Water will be thoroughly washed.

By this construction, all of the solution is washed from the prints in a minimum amount of time, and, hence, my device saves time and effort on the part of the operator, and the thorough cleaning of the prints is assured.

If so desired, a vertically disposed baflle 20 can be secured to the inner face of the side wall l2 of the tank adjacent the nozzle. The baffle 20 acts as a bufier to strike against the corners of the revolving prints. Thus, the buffer temporarily impedes the circular motion of the revolving prints. This action separates the prints and assists in their thorough washing.

Between the inner end of the bafile plate l5 and the side wall ll of the tank, a slight eddy or back-wash might be formed. This eddy or backwash is not objectionable Where prints of a relatively large size are being washed. However, where prints of a small size are being washed, the same might ride into this eddy or back-wash.

To eliminate this contingency, I employ a sliding fin or gate 2!. This gate or fin 2| is disposed at the free end of the baffle plate 55 and is mounted in suitable upper and lower guides 22 and 23, which can be carried respectively by the brackets I6 and the bottom wall I i. When small prints are being washed, the fin can be slid out away from the side wall into the stream or current of Water, and the small prints striking the baflie plate l5 will be thrown against the fin (which is disposed at an angle to the baffle plate), and the fin will in turn guide the prints back into the whirling stream or current of water.

As the prints are washed, it is desirable to carry off the water laden with the solution. In tanks of a relatively small size, the flow of water through the nozzle M is sufiicient for washing purposes. In tanks of large size used by commercial photographers, it may be advisable to supply additional water to the tank other than the nozzle, so that a free flow of water into and out of the tank is assured. In Figure 5, I have shown a fragment of a tank of large size, with means for supplying additional water thereto.

This tank is generally indicated by the reference character T, and includes a bottom wall 25 and an upstanding side wall 26. Extending about the side wall 26 is an annular chamber or channel 21, into which cleaning water fiows through a supply pipe 28. The supply pipe 28 can be connected to any suitable source of water supply. The side wall 26 can be provided at spaced points with water inlet openings 29, and water from the channel is adapted to flow into the tank through said openings 29. The water flowing through the openings is also utilized for moving the prints toward the center of the tank, so that none of the prints will adhere to the side wall. By providing a plurality of inlet openings 29, the water flowing through the side wall will not interfere with the useful currents in the tank. Obviously, the channel 2'! can take the form of a pipe extending about the tank.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention, but what I claim as new is:

l. A device for washing prints comprising. a circular tank, an arcuate baffle plate arranged in the tank having one end connected to the side wall of the tank, and its other end extending into the tank, and a nozzle for injecting water under pressure into the tank extending through the side wall and pointing toward said baflle.

2. A device for washing prints comprising, a circular tank, an arcuate baffle plate arranged in the tank having one end connected to the side Wall of the tank, and its other end extending into the tank, a nozzle for injecting water under pressure into the tank extending through the side wall and pointing toward said bafile, and a vertically disposed baffle secured to the side wall of the tank adjacent the nozzle and constituting an abutment against which corners of prints are adapted to strike during the washing process.

3. A device for finishing prints comprising a circular tank for receiving the prints, a restricted water supply nozzle extending through the side wall of said tank, said nozzle being disposed substantially tangentially to the side wall, and the vertically disposed bafile positioned near the aforesaid tank side walls whereby the prints when contacting the bafile are shifted in their position of rotation.

4. A device for washing prints comprising, a tank having a bottom and a side wall, a nozzle for directing a stream of water under pressure into the tank, and an adjustable baffle movable into and out of the current stream set up by the nozzle.

5. A device for washing prints comprising, a tank, an arcuate bafile plate disposed in the tank having one end connected to the side wall of the tank and its opposite end projecting into the tank, a nozzle for directing a stream of water under pressure into the tank toward the bafile, and an adjustable member carried by the bafile for movement into and out of the current stream set up by the stream of water from the nozzle.

ROBERT C. THACKERAY. 

